Jaguar XJ12 Series I

Overview

Produced:

1972-1973, 754 produced.

Types:

Saloon,4 doors,5 seats

Just eleven years after the launch of the E-type, Jaguar stunned the world with another car capable of nearly 150mph, only this time the car was a 4 door saloon! The new car, known as the XJ12, looked nearly identical to its six cylinder sister car, the XJ6, which must have surprised a few autobahn users! At the time of its launch many people heralded the new car as the "Best Car In The World", a title normally the preserve of Rolls-Royce, although its nearest true rival was the Mercedes 300SEL.

The XJ12 shared its new engine with the new V12 E-type and developed some 253bhp, unfortunately fuel consumption figures were alarmingly low even by Jaguar standards. A Daimler version of the XJ12, the Double Six, was also available and from 1972 a long wheel base version, the XJ12L, was also available.